Chapter 9
These are the same important terms and ideas that are summarized at the end of the
chapter. Additional information that I've added to these will be in italicized text. I have also
added additional important terms and ideas at the end of the alphabetical list. As you study,
pay particular attention to 1. the definitions for which the titles appear in BOLD print, 2.
the italicized information I've added, and 3. the additional terms I've added at the
bottom of the list. These are the most important ideas and the ones most likely to
appear on the exams.
Antecedent Conditions - Stimulus conditions, or conditions that lead up to the behavior of
interest. They are stimuli in the environment (perhaps a particular place or person) that
precede [elicit] a particular behavior.
Behavioral Assessment - An assessment approach that focuses on the interactions
between situations and behaviors for the purpose of effecting behavioral change.
Behavioral evaluators focus on the interaction of “behaviors” and “situations” when doing
clinical assessments. They do NOT look for “signs” of underlying drives, traits, or motivations
as a psychoanalyst would.
Behavioral Interviews - Interviews conducted for the purpose of identifying a problem
behavior, the situational factors that maintain the behavior, and the consequences that result
from the behavior.
Behavioral Rehearsal - Role-playing. The term behavioral rehearsal is usually used in cases
where the patient is trying to develop a new response pattern.
Cognitive-Behavioral Assessment - An assessment approach recognizing that the person's
thoughts or cognitions play an important role in behavior.
Cognitive-Functional Approach - An assessment approach that calls for the functional
analysis of the client's thinking processes. In this approach, the clinician completes a careful
analysis of the person's cognitions, how they are aiding or interfering with performance, and
under what situations this is occurring.
Consequent Events - Outcomes, or events that follow from the behavior of interest.
Controlled Observation - An observational method in which the clinician exerts a certain
amount of purposeful control over the events being observed; also known as analogue
behavioral observation. Controlled observation may be preferred in situations where a
behavior does not occur very often on its own or where normal events are likely to draw the
patient outside the observer's range. Often involves creating a situation to simulate real life.
An example from our text involves the US military, During World War II, having personnel
attempt a task while confederates did their best to sabotage the results. The focus was
response to stress.
Controlled Performance Technique - An assessment procedure in which the clinician
places individuals in carefully controlled performance situations and collects data on their
performance/behaviors, their emotional reactions (subjectively rated), and/or various
psychophysiological indices.
Dysfunctional Thought Record - Completed by the client and provides the client and
therapist with a record of the client's automatic thoughts that are related to dysphoria or
depression.
Ecological Momentary Assessment - A new method of behavioral assessment in which
participants record their thoughts, feelings, or behaviors as they occur in the natural
environment. This is typically accomplished through the use of electronic diaries.
Ecological Validity - In the context of behavioral assessment, the extent to which the
behaviors analyzed or observed are representative of a person's typical behavior. Asks the
question, are the behavioral observations a good sample of the person’s typical behavior.
Electronic Diaries - A technique used in behavior assessment in which individuals carry
handheld computers that are programmed to prompt the individuals to complete assessments
at that moment in time, in participants' natural environment.
Functional Analysis - A central feature of behavioral assessment. In a functional analysis,
careful analyses are made of the stimuli preceding a behavior and the consequences
following from it to gain a precise understanding of the causes of the behavior. An analysis of
the variables that precede (tend to elicit) a behavior, the behavior itself, and the variables that
typically follow and maintain a behavior (consequences).
Home Observation - Observation that is carried out in the patient's home by trained observers
using an appropriate observational rating system.
Hospital Observation - Observation that is carried out in psychiatric hospitals or institutions
using an observational device designed for that purpose.
Observation - A primary technique of behavioral assessment. Observation is often used to
gain a better understanding of the frequency, strength, and pervasiveness of the problem
behavior as well as the factors that are maintaining it.
Observer Drift - A phenomenon in which observers who work closely together subtly, and
without awareness, begin to drift away from other observers in their ratings. Two observers
who work together may become “alike” in their recording without being aware of it. While the
two observers who have “drifted” together seem to have good reliability [inter-observer
agreement] their “true” reliability is shown to be poor when a new observer is paired with one
of them.
Organismic Variables - Physical, physiological, or cognitive characteristics of the client that
are important for both the conceptualization of the client's problem and the formulation of
effective treatments. Radical (extreme) behaviorists like Watson might consider
internal variables (physical state, cognitions) not open to analysis, but modern
behavioral assessors do consider analysis of organismic variables to be important.
Psychophysiological Measures - Used to assess central nervous system, autonomic
nervous system, or skeletomotor activity. The advantage of psychophysiological measures is
that they may assess processes (e.g., emotional responsivity) that are not directly assessed
by self-report or behavioral measures, and they tend to be more sensitive measures of these
processes than alternative measures. Examples include event-related potentials (ERPs),
electromyographic (EMG) activity, electroencephalographic (EEG) activity, and electrodermal
activity (EDA).
Reactivity - In the context of observation, the phenomenon in which individuals respond to
the fact that they are being observed by changing their behavior. Also called reactance, the
phenomenon in which just knowing one is being watched changes one’s behavior. A classic
example of this involves the “Hawthorne” experiments in which worker productivity increased
in response to both increased AND decreased lighting in the work environment.
Role-Playing - A technique in which patients are directed to respond the way they would
typically respond if they were in a given situation. The situation may be described to them, or
an assistant may actually act the part of another person. Often used for dealing with
problems involving interactions with others, esp. deficits in social skills and assertiveness.
Sample - Behavioral assessment uses a "sample" orientation to testing—that is, the goal is to
gather examples that are representative of the situations and behaviors of interest.
School Observation - Behavioral observation that is conducted in the school setting. As with
home observation, trained observers rate the patient using an appropriate observational
system.
Self-Monitoring - An observational technique in which individuals observe and record their
own behaviors, thoughts, or emotions (including information on timing, frequency, intensity,
and duration). This is very cost-effective and can help clients translate vague
complaints into specific behaviors to be changed. Also, simply recording
one’s own behaviors can lead to insight and improvement.
Sign - Traditional assessment uses a "sign" approach to testing—that is, the goal is to
identify marks of underlying characteristics. This can be confusing. While traditional
psychoanalysts consider a symptom a "sign" of an underlying problem, behaviorists consider
a "sign" to be an "observable behavior" of the client.
Situational Test - A controlled observation technique in which the clinician places individuals
in situations more or less similar to those of real life and then observes their reactions
directly.
SORC Model - A model for conceptualizing clinical problems from a behavioral perspective.
In this model, S = the stimulus or antecedent conditions that bring on the problematic
behavior, O = the organismic variables related to the behavior, R = the response or the
behavior itself, and C = the consequences of the behavior.
Unit Of Analysis - In the context of observation, the length of time observations will be made
and the type and number of responses that will be rated.
Below are some additional ideas and terms from Chapter 9 you should know
Sign vs. Sample – in contrast to a psychoanalyst, behavioral assessors do not
see problem behaviors as “signs” of underlying problems. Their interest is in
understanding the variables that elicit and maintain such behaviors. To make things more
confusing, behaviorists DO use the word "sign." However, as they use it, it refers to
"observable" patient behaviors" vs. "symptoms" which are reported by the patient.
When is Behavioral Assessment Used? – before treatment (to understand
behaviors and choose treatment), during treatment (to assess effectiveness),
and after treatment (to see if improvement is maintained).
Naturalistic Observation – used primarily in research and teaching settings. It is a
good method for obtaining data. Because of its difficulty and expense, it is not
popular in everyday clinical practice.
Achenbach’s Child Behavior Checklist [CBCL] – is one of the most widely used of
children’s assessment tools. See Table 9 – 2 for sample items from the
“Direct Observation Form [DOF] of the CBCL.
Concurrent validity – in the context of behavioral assessment, if professional
observations of behavior (e.g., a child’s aggression) agree with parent and
teacher reports, the validity of the observation is supported.